Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 738 Relationship with the Underworld, the Signboard of the Divine Firmament Dao Sect (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
They all wore a black token similar to the Netherworld Token hanging from their waists.

Li Yunjing's gaze grew increasingly serious.

"The tokens on the waists of these ghost messengers..."

Li Yunjing's gaze fell on the black tokens, and his pupils contracted slightly.

The design of those tokens was very similar to that of the "Netherworld Tokens," except that instead of ghost patterns, they were engraved with the three characters "Reincarnation Bureau."

"What are you looking at? How dare a stranger pry into the official business of the 'Reincarnation Bureau'?"

A ghost guard who was three zhang tall noticed Li Yunjing's gaze, and swung the iron chain in his hand with a "clang", causing the dead souls on the chain to tremble in pain.

"Don't mess with them. These are all 'soul catchers' under the command of 'Black Impermanence'. Although they are only the lowest-ranking ghost messengers, they can mobilize the Yin soldiers in the City of the Unjustly Dead."

The shadowy figure quickly tugged at Li Yunjing's sleeve and whispered.

Li Yunjing withdrew his gaze, but doubts arose in his heart.

Why is the "Netherworld Token" of the "Netherworld Ghost Sect" so similar to the token of the "Reincarnation Bureau"?

Could it be that the "Netherworld Ghost Sect" has some unknown connection with the "Reincarnation Bureau" in the "Nine Nether Lands"?
The two moved stealthily along the base of the city wall, trying to avoid the patrolling ghost guards.

The streets of the "City of the Wrongfully Dead" are paved with dark blue stone slabs covered with densely engraved runes, from which eerie green flames occasionally emerge.

The street was lined with houses built of black stone. A pale light shone through the windows of the houses, and some shadowy figures could be vaguely seen moving around inside, but no sound could be heard, which seemed extremely eerie.

"The 'Wangxiangyi' post station is just ahead."

The shadowy figure pointed to a relatively intact pavilion in front of them and said.

Above the door of the attic hung a faded plaque with the three characters "Wangxiangyi" written on it. The characters were vigorous and powerful, yet they conveyed a deep longing for home.

As soon as I reached the door of the attic, a strong smell of alcohol hit me.

Li Yunjing looked up and saw an old man in tattered official robes sitting on the stone steps at the door, holding a wine gourd in his hand and drinking by himself.

The old man's face was covered with wrinkles, and his eyes were half-open, as if he might fall asleep at any moment.

"It's an 'old drunkard'."

The dark figure breathed a sigh of relief. "He is the postmaster of 'Wangxiang Post Station.' Although he is senile, he can still keep the post station safe."

The old man seemed to sense someone approaching and slowly opened his eyes.

Those were cloudy eyes, but a glint of light flashed in them when they saw Li Yunjing: "A living person?"

Li Yunjing felt a chill run down his spine. The old man's aura seemed calm, yet it gave people a feeling of unfathomable depth.

He didn't hide anything and nodded: "Junior Li Yunjing has mistakenly entered the 'Nine Nether Lands'. I hope senior can guide me out of my confusion."

"Give me some pointers?"

The old drunkard let out a burp and shook his gourd: "In this 'Nine Netherworld,' it's a miracle we can even survive. Come in, this isn't the place to talk."

The two followed the old drunkard into the attic.

The attic was simply furnished, with only a few old tables and chairs and some hay piled in the corner.

A faint sandalwood scent filled the air, quite different from the stench of blood outside.

"sit down."

The old drunkard pointed to the chair next to the table and sat down in the main seat. "Tell me, what are you doing in the 'Nine Netherworlds'?"

"I was ambushed and fell into this place."

Li Yunjing briefly recounted what had happened, concealing his identity as a member of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect," and asked, "This junior would like to know, how can I return to the mortal realm?"

"Return to the human world?"

Upon hearing this, the old drunkard suddenly burst into laughter: "Ever since the 'Boundary Marker' was erected in ancient times, no one has been able to return to the mortal realm from the 'Nine Netherworlds.' You should just give up on that idea."

"Boundary markers?"

Li Yunjing frowned and asked, "What is that?"

"That was a boundary marker erected by the powerful beings of the three realms after the 'Three Realms War' to separate the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man, to prevent evil spirits from entering the human world and to prevent mortals from accidentally entering the underworld."

The old drunkard took a swig of wine. "However, there are always exceptions. It is said that as long as one can gain the approval of the 'Reincarnation Disc,' a passage to the human world can be opened."

"Reincarnation disk?"

Li Yunjing was dumbfounded.

“That’s right, that’s the treasure of the ‘Reincarnation Bureau’, which governs the reincarnation order of the Three Realms.”

The old drunkard's eyes suddenly sharpened. "However, the 'Reincarnation Disc' is not something that can be used lightly. Let alone a living person like you, even the Ten Kings of Hell in the 'Nine Netherworlds' might not be able to obtain authorization."

"Even the King of Hell won't do it?"

Li Yunjing remained silent.

He knew the old drunkard was telling the truth, but he had no intention of giving up.

This eerie place is definitely not a place for the living to live in for long.

For his own sake, for his wife's sake, and for the sect's sake, Li Yunjing must go back!

He felt utterly disgusted with this damn place from the very first second he stepped inside.

He glanced out the window. The aura of the "Netherworld Decree" seemed to be getting clearer, and the source of that aura was actually in the direction of the Reincarnation Bureau.

"Senior, I would like to ask, what is the relationship between the 'Reincarnation Bureau' and the 'Netherworld Ghost Sect'?"

Li Yunjing suddenly asked.

Upon hearing this, the old drunkard's expression changed slightly: "Why are you asking this?"

“When I was in the human world, I fought with the people of the ‘Netherworld Ghost Sect’. The ‘Netherworld Token’ they carried was very similar to the token on the waist of the ghost messengers of the ‘Reincarnation Bureau’.”

Li Yunjing explained.

The founder of the "Netherworld Ghost Sect" was once a judge in the "Reincarnation Bureau".

The old drunkard was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Later, because he violated the heavenly rules, he was banished to the 'Nine Netherworlds.' Unwilling to accept this, he stole a portion of the secret techniques of the 'Reincarnation Bureau' and founded the 'Netherworld Ghost Sect,' attempting to overthrow the order of the Three Realms."

"However, with his limited abilities, he naturally couldn't accomplish such a great feat."

The old drunkard changed the subject and asked, "Young man, how is the 'Netherworld Ghost Sect' in the mortal realm doing?"

Li Yunjing suddenly realized, "So that's how it is."

No wonder the "Netherworld Token" is so similar to the "Reincarnation Bureau's" token; they are from the same source.

"The entire human world was shattered into fragments, forming individual stars."

Li Yunjing thought for a moment and said, "On my planet, the 'Netherworld Ghost Sect' has already been wiped out by the Xuanmen."

"what?"

Both the old drunkard and the shadowy figure were shocked, never expecting the human world to have split into this state.

As for the news of the destruction of the "Netherworld Ghost Sect," although it was surprising, it seemed insignificant compared to the changes in the human world.

"Kid, what sect are you from? I can sense the aura of the Xuanmen sect."

After a moment of silence, the old drunkard asked.

Li Yunjing's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the "Breaking Boundary Sword." He knew that the old drunkard could sense the aura of the Xuanmen sect, and was definitely not an ordinary Yin object.

After a moment of contemplation, he said frankly, "This junior comes from the Shenxiao Dao Sect."

"Shenxiao Dao Sect?"

The old drunkard suddenly sat up straight, his cloudy eyes flashing with astonishing light. The gourd in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter," spilling wine all over the floor, but he didn't even notice. "Are you talking about the 'Divine Firmament Dao Sect,' which holds the orthodox authority over thunder magic in the mortal realm?"

Li Yunjing nodded: "Exactly."

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! I never expected to encounter a successor of the Divine Firmament Dao Sect in this 'Nine Nether Lands'!"

The old drunkard suddenly burst into laughter, laughing so hard that tears were almost streaming down his face. He slammed his fist on the table and said, "Back then, when the great calamity of the decline of the Dao and the rise of the demons broke out, if it weren't for the Thunder God of the 'Divine Firmament Dao Sect' guarding the Southern Heavenly Gate, the Immortal Realm would have been wiped out by those evil demons and heretics long ago!"

The shadowy figure listened in stunned silence. He had never seen the old drunkard so out of control, and he never expected that this seemingly ordinary living person would come from such a prestigious sect.

"No wonder you were able to hold off the Netherworld Crocodile on the banks of the River of Oblivion. No wonder you have an aura that restrains evil spirits. You are a disciple of the Divine Firmament Sect!"

The old drunkard laughed for a long time before stopping, then pointed at Li Yunjing and said.

He suddenly leaned closer to Li Yunjing and lowered his voice, saying, "Boy, do you know why the 'Reincarnation Disc' opened a passage to the human world?"

Li Yunjing shook his head: "This junior does not know."

"Because the core of the 'Reincarnation Disc' inherently contains a trace of the original power of the Nine Heavens Thunder God."

The old drunkard's voice carried a hint of mystery: "After the great war of the Three Realms, the Celestial Venerable's disciple took charge of Mount Tai and ruled over the 'Nine Netherworlds.'"

"The three schools of Taoism and Buddhism each have experts who infuse a wisp of their divine essence into the 'Reincarnation Disc' in order to prevent any disturbances in the 'Nine Netherworlds'."

"Since you possess the 'Nine Heavens Responding to the Origin Thunder Scripture,' you might actually gain the 'Reincarnation Disc's' approval!"

At this point, the old drunkard's gaze toward Li Yunjing held a hint of something different.

Li Yunjing's heart stirred. No wonder the old drunkard suddenly mentioned the "Reincarnation Disc"; it turned out there was such a connection between them.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the pavilion, accompanied by the shouts of ghostly soldiers: "Listen up, those inside! Hand over the living people immediately, or we will raze 'Wangxiangyi' to the ground!"

The two walked to the window and saw a group of ghost soldiers dressed in black armor rushing towards the "Wangxiang Post Station". The leader was a ghost general riding a black horse with a golden token hanging at his waist, on which the words "impermanence" were engraved.

"He is a 'Wuchang Envoy' under the command of 'Bai Wuchang'."

The dark figure was deathly pale. "They're definitely after you."

"Looks like you're in pretty much trouble."

The old drunkard frowned as well: "The Impermanence Envoy has personally come; it seems he doesn't intend to let you go."

"there is always a solution to a problem."

Li Yunjing gripped the "Boundary-Breaking Sword" tightly, his eyes hardening: "This junior wants to see what abilities the ghost generals of the Nine Netherworlds possess."

With a series of hurried footsteps, the ghostly soldiers had already surrounded "Wangxiangyi".

The Impermanence Messenger reined in his horse and coldly stared at the pavilion entrance: "Those living inside, come out and face your death!"

"Don't worry."

Li Yunjing took a deep breath and was about to go out when the old drunkard stopped him: "This Wangxiang Post Station is protected by the 'Three Realms Barrier,' they can't get in."

"However, you can't stay here forever."

"I know a secret passage that leads to the back door of the 'Reincarnation Bureau'." "As for whether you can gain the 'Reincarnation Disc's' approval, that depends on your fate."

Li Yunjing looked at the old drunkard, a hint of gratitude flashing in his eyes: "Thank you for your guidance, senior."

"Don't thank me."

The old drunkard waved his hand, "I just can't stand the way those guys from the 'Reincarnation Bureau' behave."

"Remember, when you arrive at the 'Reincarnation Bureau,' be very careful of the 'King of Wheels,' he is the most ruthless of the Ten Kings of Hell."

After saying that, the old drunkard walked to the corner of the wall, lifted a stone slab, and revealed a dark hole: "Go from here, keep going straight, and you will reach the back door of the 'Reincarnation Bureau'."

Li Yunjing glanced at the dark figure: "Do you want to come with me?"

"I think it's safer for me to stay at 'Wangxiangyi'."

The shadowy figure hesitated for a moment, then shook his head: "Good luck."

The shadowy figure cursed inwardly. He had originally planned to devour Li Yunjing, but little did he expect that this living person was no ordinary individual, and the old drunkard seemed to value him quite a bit.

This meant there was no chance to eat Li Yunjing.

Why are you still following Li Yunjing at this time?
Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?
This kid looks like a troublemaker. He might just provoke the ghost messengers of the "Reincarnation Bureau." It's not worth him being mistaken for Li Yunjing's accomplice and arrested along with them.

"Thank you, senior!"

Li Yun nodded, and without further hesitation, jumped into the cave entrance.

The opening behind him slowly closed, shutting out the noise from outside.

The cave entrance was pitch black, with only the occasional flashes of phosphorescent light on the walls providing a faint glow.

As Li Yunjing walked along the passage, he could feel the aura of the "Netherworld Decree" growing stronger and stronger, as if it were right in front of him.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, a glimmer of light suddenly appeared ahead.

Li Yunjing quickened his pace and walked to the light, only to find that he had actually come to the back of a huge palace.

The palace walls were covered with golden runes, exuding an aura of majesty; it was the main hall of the "Reincarnation Bureau".

At the palace gate, an old man in a black robe stood there, holding a black token in his hand—the Netherworld Token!

"You finally came."

The old man slowly turned around, revealing a weathered face. He was none other than the former sect leader of the Netherworld Ghost Sect. "I've been waiting for you for a long time."

Li Yunjing's pupils contracted sharply, and he gripped the Boundary-Breaking Sword tightly: "It's you?"

"it's me."

The old man smiled slightly, "Back then, I was killed by your 'Divine Firmament Dao Sect.' I never thought we'd meet again, did I?"

"I really didn't expect that."

Li Yunjing's heart sank. The Netherworld Cult Master was a Nascent Soul Realm expert when he was alive. Now that he is dead, he has entered the "Reincarnation Bureau". It seems that he has many connections here!
This is their home turf; it seems I'm doomed.

"Back then, your 'Shenxiao Dao Sect' joined forces with various Xuanmen sects to besiege my 'Youming Gui Sect.' I thought I would be annihilated, but unexpectedly, I was chosen by King Zhuanlun and taken in as a ghost messenger."

The Netherworld Lord's withered fingers rubbed the Netherworld Token, a sinister smile curling at the corner of his mouth beneath his black robe: "This 'Nine Netherworld Land' has become my treasured cultivation ground."

The yin energy around him suddenly surged, and the golden runes on the palace walls were stained black: "Do you know why I led you here?"

"Could it be that the old drunkard betrayed him?"

"No!"

"The old drunkard's aura is terrifying; I'm definitely no match for him."

"He wouldn't bother to deceive himself!"

"If you really want to hand yourself over to the Netherworld Cult Master, you can just capture him directly."

Li Yunjing didn't speak, but simply held the "Boundary-Breaking Sword" horizontally in front of his chest.

He could sense that the other party's aura was several times stronger than when they were in the human world, clearly indicating that they had gained a lot of benefits from the "Reincarnation Bureau".

"Because you possess the Nine Heavens Responding Thunder Scripture."

Greed flashed in the eyes of the Netherworld Lord, "As long as I absorb your soul, I can completely refine the Reincarnation Secret Technique in the 'Netherworld Token'. At that time, not only the Ten Kings of Hell, but even the great powers of the Three Realms will be unable to do anything to me!"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly threw the Netherworld Token into the air.

The token transformed into a pitch-black vortex in the air, from which countless vengeful spirits surged forth and pounced towards Li Yunjing.

These vengeful spirits are different from ordinary evil spirits; they are all wrapped in faint golden runes, clearly indicating that they have been tempered by the secret techniques of the "Reincarnation Bureau".

"Shenxiao thunder method!"

With a clear shout, the last remaining lightning within Li Yunjing's body suddenly erupted.

Despite the sluggish spiritual energy, the thunder activated by the Nine Heavens Responding Thunder Scripture still carried a majestic heavenly might, causing fierce ghosts to crumble upon contact and transform into a sky full of yin energy.

"it's useless!"

The Lord of the Underworld laughed wildly, "This is the 'Department of Reincarnation,' where Yin energy is inexhaustible!"

He formed a hand seal, and from the vortex created by the "Netherworld Decree," a giant hand composed of countless ghostly claws suddenly emerged and viciously grabbed at Li Yunjing.

Wherever the giant hand passed, ripples spread through the space, clearly containing the power of the law of reincarnation.

Li Yunjing's eyes sharpened, and a blue light emanated from the Boundary-Breaking Sword: "Boundary Break!"

A flash of sword light tore a rift in space, just in time to avoid the giant hand's grasp.

But the giant hand followed like a shadow, chasing after them along the crack, and was able to move through the gaps in space.

"As expected of a successor of the 'Shenxiao Dao Sect,' he can actually utilize the laws of space to such an extent."

A hint of surprise flashed in the Netherworld Cult Master's eyes, which then turned ferocious. "Unfortunately, your skills are no match for me!"

His magical power flowed and landed on the "Netherworld Token," which instantly burst out with dazzling black light, causing the "Reincarnation Bureau" branch hall to tremble violently.

The runes on the twelve dragon-carved pillars lit up simultaneously, and the pillar with the character "ghost" engraved on it emitted a black light that merged into the body of the Netherworld Cult.

"King Yama has granted me the power of the 'Ghost Realm,' and today I will let you taste the pain of ten thousand ghosts devouring your heart!"

The figure of the Netherworld Cult Leader suddenly disappeared, replaced by an endless expanse of darkness.

Countless mournful cries echoed from the darkness. Li Yunjing felt a sharp pain in his soul, and the scene of besieging the "Netherworld Ghost Sect" appeared before his eyes.

The demonic cultivators he had killed had transformed into vengeful ghosts and were rushing towards him.

"Heart demon?"

Li Yunjing snorted coldly, activated the "Creation Divine Eye" between his brows, and shot out a beam of lightning.

That was his innate divine thought, which was indestructible under the nourishment of the "Nine Heavens Responding to the Origin Thunder Scripture".

"Boom!"

Wherever the lightning struck, the illusion shattered instantly.

But at that moment, the ground beneath his feet suddenly cracked open, and a ghostly claw covered in bone spurs grabbed his ankle and dragged him into the ground.

A strong stench of corpses emanated from the ground, and countless white bones could be vaguely seen writhing in the darkness.

"This is the 'Wrongfully Dead Prison' of the 'Reincarnation Bureau,' which is specifically for imprisoning evil spirits that cannot enter the cycle of reincarnation."

The voice of the Netherworld Cult Master came from all directions, "How long do you think your thunder can last?"

Li Yunjing did not answer, but instead inserted the "Boundary-Breaking Sword" into the ground.

The sword light spread along the ground, forming a huge lightning array beneath his feet.

The lightning crackled, and the ghostly claws that had been captured were instantly burned to ashes.

"Heaven and earth are boundless, thunder vanquishes evil!"

Immediately, the "Yin Yang Five Elements Heavenly Evolution Sword" flew out, and a purple-gold lightning bolt shot into the sky, piercing through the darkness of the Ghost Realm and stabbing straight at the dome of the "Reincarnation Division" branch hall.

The lightning contained the power of the five elements generating each other, which triggered the runes on the twelve dragon-shaped pillars. The pillar with the character "thunder" engraved on it burst out with a dazzling light.

"presumptuous!"

A majestic shout, like a thunderclap, resounded in the hall. The dragon pillars, which had been trembling violently, suddenly stopped shaking, and the runes on the twelve pillars simultaneously lit up with golden light, tearing a huge gash in the Netherworld Lord's ghost domain.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Yunjing leaped up, and the Breaking Boundary Sword drew a bolt of lightning in front of him, completely severing the ghostly claws that were wrapped around his ankles.

He looked up and saw a judge dressed in a vermilion official robe standing in the center of the palace gate, holding a judge's pen in his hand, the tip of which was flowing with golden runes.

The judge had a face as red as a jujube, bright and piercing eyes, and a golden token engraved with the word "reincarnation" hanging from his waist. He exuded a chilling aura.

His gaze swept over Li Yunjing and the Netherworld Cult Leader with lightning speed, and he said in a deep voice, "'The Samsara Division' is a vital place in the Three Realms. How dare you act so presumptuously here!"

"Your subordinate greets Your Honor."

Upon seeing the judge, the Netherworld Lord's expression changed drastically. He quickly concealed his aura and bowed, saying, "This person, being a living being, has trespassed into the 'Reincarnation Bureau' and even attempted to steal the 'Reincarnation Disc.' Your subordinates are apprehending him."

"Oh?"

The judge raised an eyebrow at Li Yunjing, "Who are you? And why are you here in the 'Nine Netherworlds'?"

"Li Yunjing is a disciple of the 'Shenxiao Dao Sect' in the mortal realm. His ancestor is the Nine Heavens Responding to the Origin of Thunder and Spreading Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable!"

Li Yunjing clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying, "I was harmed by a villain and mistakenly entered this place. The Netherworld Cult Master wanted to seize my soul in order to avenge the grudge of that year, and I was only acting in self-defense."

"Shenxiao Dao Sect?"

A hint of surprise flashed in the judge's eyes, then he looked at the Netherworld Cult Leader, "You're saying he's trying to steal the 'Reincarnation Disc'?"

"Your Excellency is wise. This boy just activated the Thunder Rune, clearly intending to seize the 'Reincarnation Disc'."

The Lord of the Underworld hurriedly said.

The judge shook his head, waved his judge's pen in the air, and a golden light fell on Li Yunjing.

"This child possesses the aura of the Nine Heavens Thunder God, which is of the same origin as the 'Reincarnation Disc,' so it is not surprising that he has activated the Thunder Rune."

After the golden light dissipated, the judge slowly said, "As for you, as a ghost messenger of the 'Reincarnation Bureau,' you have privately used the supernatural powers of the Ghost Realm to harm living beings. What is your punishment?"

"My lord, I know I was wrong."

The Netherworld Cult Leader's face turned deathly pale, and he spoke in a trembling voice.

He never expected that his former boss would suddenly speak up for Li Yunjing.
However, the judge is the top-ranking official of the "Reincarnation Bureau," immortal and possessing divine authority, comparable to a god or immortal. How could he, a mere squad leader of ghost messengers, possibly compare?
Giving in became the only option.

(End of this chapter)